Archive of Our Own ^beta

After living several years in the same apartment and making little to no changes to his furniture or anything in his place, really, Dream had been naive enough to forget what moving was like. He had forgotten how stressful packing was, finding cars big enough to put everything in and sort out what was broken, and what was actually still necessary.
Moving in with someone else, who had their own established household already, brought a whole different challenge as well.

What were they going to keep? What had to go, no questions asked? Dream and George had fully furnished apartments each, and had several arguments about what they were going to keep, before they even had settled on an apartment yet. It wasn't a pretty conversation.

The biggest argument they had was about the beds each of them had. George insisted on his bed being the better one, despite never having slept over at Dream's place before. Dream assured him that his own bed was better in quality, because it was the newest item he owned. He was willing to give away his couch and his shelves, but when it came to his bed, he stood his ground.

They broke up the argument, when Quackity asked for the first time to be sleeping over at Sapnap and Karl’s place.

It was a heartbreaking moment for George, who had just gotten used to Dream being able to put his son down. Now he wanted to sleep in a completely different house? George had a breakdown over that, not that he would let Dream tell anyone about it though.

George was moping all day, and Quackity picked up on it, asking Dream several times if he did something wrong and Dream would always cuddle Alex and tell him that he did not do anything wrong. He explained that George loved Alex so much that he would miss him, when he slept over at his uncles’s house.

Alex nodded and made it his mission to make George laugh as much as he could all day, cuddling George and telling his daddy that he loved him soooooo much. It helped ease George’s mood a little, but when it came to bringing Quackity over to Sapnap, George had trouble letting his son go.

Dream had pretty much had to drag him away from the scene, and Sapnap and Karl both had to individually promise more than ten times to call if anything was up, ever, even in the slightest.

Dream made it his mission that day, to distract George from his phone. And distract him he did. He cooked for George, who was looking around Dream’s apartment or hugging him from behind to mop.

He cooked for them and then the two spent one night, completely undisturbed in Dream’s bed, exploring their new found time out from being dads and being careful.

George slept like a baby that night, exhausted and satisfied, spooning Dream, who hugged his pillow while they slept. The morning was lazy and slow, no one was in a rush and George begrudgingly agreed to keeping Dream’s bed instead of his own, because it was better and more comfortable. And it didn’t squeak even in the slightest no matter how much they moved…
So yeah, they were keeping Dream’s bed and George tried to act all cool and nonchalant when they picked up Alex in the afternoon. He tried not to pick Quackity on the spot and cuddle him close, because the boy was busy painting with Karl in the living room. 

Sapnap stood by Dream who was leaning against the wall by the doorway, smiling as he watched his boyfriend listen to his son chat excitedly about the sleepover he had.

“Nice bite mark,” Sapnap hummed and bumped his hips with Dream who glared at him inreturn, trying to keep his posture straight. 

“Shut up,” he warned under his breath.

“I’m guessing you had fun,” Sapnap teased, not shutting up even after Dream so desperately wanted him to.

“We are happy to take him whenever you know?” Sapnap grinned.

He was offering help to disguise his teasing and Dream wanted to strangle him more than anything right now. But he didn’t of course. Because his son was watching him.
So Sapnap got to live, if only to help the couple move into a larger apartment after Quackity’s birthday came and went. The three celebrated the holidays together. Christmas, Alex’s birthday and New Year’s.

It was a mess to say the least. But it was their mess. It was the first time George did not celebrate with his parents. And the same went for Dream, but it ended up worth it for both of them.  Christmas went as expected, stress about the food, Quackity being impatient about unpacking his presents.  He got a large duck as a plushie and a few new toys for the new apartment.  They also bought him a new wardrobe and a bigger bed, but he did not understand the significance of those presence. He did however promise to build them with Dream.
The two of them did not gift each other anything, and the presents they got from Sapnap and Karl and Niki were not… not to be opened around Quackity. As much as he wanted to text a very rude message to his best friend, the blush that spread all over George’s face at the realisation what the three friends had done, he decided to go for a minor threat instead. 

Quackity’s fourth birthday was the first one he had friends from nursery over and it was… a lot. Dream knew children in nursery but during this birthday party some of them acted insanely different to what they would normally do.

Both Dream and George agreed to not have another birthday at their home, especially not in their new apartment, after the stain on the couch was deemed irremovable.

New Year’s was a get-together for their friends.

Alex tried staying up until midnight with them, but fell deeply asleep half an hour before midnight, cuddled in Dream’s arm, completely tuckered out by the excitement he had thrown around all day. Sapnap chasing around for half an hour probably helped as well. So Quackity was asleep when the clock struck twelve.

At midnight Dream made a promise to cherish his family for the new year, and make sure their life intertwined more, which George returned with kissing him over and over again. And for once their friends did not make fun of them for being preoccupied with each other. Dream was still holding the sleeping boy, and only went to put him down once he could finally get himself away from his boyfriend.

They had not told anyone about their spontaneous engagement. It was, for now, only their little secret, and Quackity’s.

After New Year’s and the holiday season, they slowly started packing up more of their stuff, and Dream sat down to sell some of his newer furniture, so he could get some more money for the move. What he couldn’t sell he gave away to friends and colleagues who he did not want to charge.

Dream had not spent a whole night in his bedroom by himself in a very long time. Even when packing, he made sure to do it after work on days when George could pick up Alex, he made sure to be home by dinner so he could sleep, cuddled up against his boyfriend. He preferred not sleeping alone.

Spring came, and Dream’s lease ran out perfectly in time to move his stuff into their new apartment. He and Sapnap moved his bed and his shelves, some of his decor and pictures and his books. 

George’s apartment lease still went on for the month, and it was just right, because moving with a four year old around was already tough as it was. So now they had the possibility to move at their own pace, in the course of a whole month.
It was genuinely the easiest option. 

Dream found himself folding Quackity’s summer clothes and putting them into a box, while George was giving him a bath, when he heard the phone of his boyfriend ring. Neither of them moved to get the phone, as it was not unusual for George’s mother to call them at this time. George would call back. However the phone did not stop ringing.
And by the fifth time the awful ringtone echoed through the small apartment, George called “Dream? Can you get that for me?”

It was not unusual for them to answer each other’s phones, when the other one was busy with cooking or playing with Alex. So Dream abandoned his task and walked to the living room where the phone was still ringing obnoxiously. The number was not saved into the phone.

“Hello? This is George’s phone?”

There was a pause at the end of the line and then a female voice answered, one he had never heard before.

“Who is this?”

“I’m George’s boyfriend. He is busy right now. Can he call you back?”

There was a sharp intake of a breath and another pause. George emerged from the bathroom, Quackity coming after him, cuddled into a large towel that was big enough to drag on the floor behind him. George raised an eyebrow at Dream’s confused face.

The woman at the end of the line still hadn’t said another word, but Dream knew she had not hung up, so he said: “actually he just came back. One second.”
He handed the phone to George and shrugged. George nodded, took the phone, holding it against his ear.

“Hello?”

Dream only heard frantic rambling coming through the phone and how tired George looked. He chose to pick up Alex and get him dressed, the boy too tired to pick up on the mood change of his dad for once. 

Dream kept Alex close and joked around as he got him dressed for bed. He was four years old now, and his speech was getting better every day, but he was still the empathic little bubbly child he got to know one and a half years ago. 

He pretended not to know the tired voice of his boyfriend, clearly arguing with someone on the phone. Alex looked at the loud: “Oh my god can you shut up for one second?” coming from outside his bedroom. Dream cringed slightly at the tone George used and looked at Alex, cupping his cheeks.

“I’ll put you to bed okay?” He smiled and Alex nodded, lifting his arms to be picked up. 

Dream did so with ease, dreading the day he couldn’t pick up the boy anymore. George must feel even worse, having seen him when he was just a newborn and now had a walking and talking boy, ready to go on adventure on his own.

Alex settled into bed, looking at Dream with big eyes. “Is daddy okay?”

Dream nodded. “Yeah. He’s okay. I’m here to protect him, remember?”

Alex beamed happily and nodded. “Yeah. You’re the bestest protector.”

Dream leaned over and kissed his forehead and then his cheek, making a loud smacking noise to make him giggle. It worked and Alex settled under his blanket, smiling up at him. Dream moved his duck plushie so Alex could hug it and smiled.

“Night night baby.”

“Night night papa..” He hummed. 

Quackity had started getting confused about calling them dad and daddy, so he started using different names he heard in nursery for Dream, trying to find the one he liked best. Dream’s heart melted at every single one. 

Dream closed the door behind himself after making sure one more time that Alex was tugged in the way he liked best.

He walked into the kitchen where his boyfriend was still on the phone. Dream approached him slowly, giving George enough time to push him away or leave, but when he didn’t, Dream wrapped both arms around his waist, pulling him closer. He rested his chin on the shoulder where he did not have the phone wedged between his shoulder and his ear. He nuzzled into his neck, feeling George relax slightly.

“Look, I didn’t tell you because there was no reason to. And I’m frankly tired of arguing with you. I’ll text you a time, and we can meet and discuss the legal parts.”

Dream understood now who George was talking to and Dream felt more protective over him. He pulled him even closer, his hands splaying on his stomach, to cover as much of him with himself as he could. He nosed his way up to his ear and kissed him there, lingering, until he felt George relax even more. 

He looked up and watched George’s eyes close and he mumbled some last curses and a goodbye before ending the call. He leaned back into Dream’s embrace, moving his phone on to the kitchen counter, covering Dream’s hands with his own slightly small ones.

“You wanna talk about it?” Dream hummed against his neck, not letting him go until George would move away from him. And George did not move or answer for a long time. So they just stood in silence, as Dream showered George’s neck with gentle kisses.

“I… will you be mad?”

“I cannot promise you that I won’t be. But either way we’ll work it out.”

George nodded softly, pulling away at last, to turn around. He took a step back so he wasn’t being hugged by Dream anymore.

“It was.. my ex.”

Dream nodded, he had figured as much.

“And. She called to ask when we could meet, so she could meet Alex.”

Dream nodded again, already knowing that she had wanted to do that. 

“And… I didn’t exactly tell her that I had a boyfriend.”

He looked ashamed of himself for admitting that. And Dream just smiled. Maybe he should have been hurt by that, by being treated like a dirty little secret. But in all honesty, he understood. George wanted her to step down as a legal guardian, but knowing he was taken again, might make her more uncooperative. And maybe she was homophobic. It didn’t matter either way, George did not have to tell her about Dream if he didn’t want to. It was not the only way to show he cared about Dream.

If they had met a couple years ago, Dream might have been upset. But he wasn’t right now. 

“Okay.”

George looked up at him. “Well… she apparently thought meeting with her could be a way to get me back… and you answering the phone set her off and she got upset.”

Dream smiled at George. “Well, sucks to be her then, because you’re mine.”

“You’re not mad?”

“At you not telling her about me?”

George nodded, moving his arms up to hug himself.

“No,” Dream said simply and stepped closer again. George looked at him a bit weary, but didn’t move away from him. 

Dream put both his arms around his waist again, leaning his head to rest on top of George’s.

“I’m not mad. You probably had a reason not to tell her. And even if not, it’s not my right to run around and demand you tell everyone you know.”

“Everyone important to me knows.”

Dream’s lips curled up at that. “See? That’s what matters to me.”

George loosed his arms around himself and he leaned his head against Dream’s chest, his arms holding onto his shirt. “Thank you.”

Dream hummed in agreement, rubbing George’s lower back. “What’s the plan now?”

“I’ll go and see her. I’m not sure yet if I’ll take Quackity or not. But I’ll meet her next week and I’ll tell her I need her to step down by herself, to avoid legal consequences and a trial to prove that she has not been involved in his life. And I’ll obviously not get back together with her.”

Dream smiled. “Never had any doubts about that.”

George turned his head and grinned. “You better don’t! I’m literally your fiancé.”

Dream was easily flustered. Especially when it came to George. He had the advantage, that George was not too big on PDA and did not use his power over him when others were around. Only when Sapnap or Karl were there, he would occasionally whisper into his ear to make him blush, or randomly call “I love you, Clay!” from across the room to watch his blush spread all over his face.

But truth be told, Dream was easily flustered and George knew that. Even having proposed several months ago, they didn’t really upgrade from calling each other boyfriend.

But George casually dropping “fiancé” on him, after they had a short heart to heart about possible relationship insecurities, made his heart flutter insanely quick and he knew George could feel it under his hands.

“You are?” Dream hummed, his crimson cheeks betraying his attempt at being smug.

“Well. You asked me to marry you. And I said yes. I think that makes me your fiancé.”

Dream hummed, smiling at him. “I didn’t even get you a ring yet.”

“You don’t have to,” George argued, but Dream shook his head.

“I want to.”

George smiled even more. “Well then get on with it, dummy.”

“I’ll ask you again when I have the time.” He grinned.

George just rolled his eyes, not wanting to play fight about Dream’s ridiculous need to ask him again, instead of just giving him the ring. George would always insist on how nothing Dream could do would top the first time he asked. And Dream insisted that he wouldn't try to top the moment, but he did hope to do it properly the next time around. The argument would always end with a kiss and an “you’re an idiot”.

That night Dream and George packed up most of the living room, so Dream could drive them over to the new apartment after work.

They went to sleep late, but curled around each other, holding on tight.

The days passed quickly, and the two barely got to see each other anymore. It was almost a curse how moving, work and a child made it hard for them to spend time together.

Dream would drop off Alex at home, grab boxes and move them into the new apartment. On weekends he would go and paint Alex's bedroom and the living room. They left the bathroom, kitchen and George’s office white. But when it came to their bedroom, which was left a very dirty light grey tone instead of white, Dream had asked George for his opinion, who said he wanted it blue and green, because it was their colours. 

So Alex got a bright yellow wall in his bedroom, and the night before they wanted to officially move in, Dream was sitting in his new bedroom, the closet already up, as well as the bed and a few shelves for decor, memories and tidbits they had collected over time together. 

Dream moved the bed away from the wall and painted the wall behind their bed in a shade of green and a shade of blue. He tried to be artistic with it. 

What he did not expect that night was George joining him, bringing take out and a big smile, but no Alex.

“He’s with Sap. Don’t worry.”

Dream smiled at him, greeting him with a lingering kiss. “I missed you.” 

George grinned, waving him off. “You literally saw me this morning, you clingy goon.”

The “i missed you, too” was left unspoken, but the fact that George dropped off his son at their best friend’s house, brought take out and stood next to him, to help him paint was enough for Dream to know.

“I met my ex today.” George started, as if they hadn’t talked about it just last week and this morning.

“How did it go?”

George stood up, and wiped his paint covered hands on a towel that was laying around in their room. He picked up the take out and handed Dream a food container, before he started to talk. He looked a bit too smug for Dream to worry about what he was about to hear.

“It was alright. Alex did not like being around her though.”

“Oh, why was that?”

George chuckled, amusement clear in the tone. “She called herself his mommy and he corrected her, and said that he doesn’t have a mommy, doesn’t need a mommy and doesn’t want a mommy, because he had two daddie, who love him very much, and who he loves very much.”

Dream’s face split into a wide grin.

“Oh?”

“Yup,” George hummed, popping the p with a smirk, “she was not amused, told me I’m corrupting “her son”. I should have been upset, but it was all too funny to me.”

Dream frowned. “She really said “her son” after being rejected by Alex himself?”

George nodded. “It was such a sad spectacle. She tried to talk me out of our relationship, saying how she was the better option and how she was the mother of my child and therefore we should be together, to give him a good family home.”

Dream cringed at that, imagining a desperate woman, trying her best to get something back that had never been hers to begin with.

“The conversation was quickly over, when Q asked me if we could go home. “I miss papa,” he said and she was fuming. She raised her voice and Q said, and I quote: “No yelling. That’s bad for your ears. And makes me and daddy sad. If you wanna say something, say something nice”. She was speechless. And then he asked me if we could leave again.”

Dream laughed loudly. Quackity was the best boy he could ever imagine and this woman missed out on four years of his beautiful life. She had the audacity to think giving birth gave her the same rights as George, who had stayed with Q and raised him. She thought biology gave her rights that not even her son wanted her to have.

It was amusing for both of them, because there was an unspoken tension, the lingering question, on both of their minds: “what if Alex wanted her in his life?”

There was no doubt that they would have made it work somehow. They would have involved her in Q’s life. They would have made sure that she got to see him and that Alex got to meet his mother. There was no way they would take that right away from the boy. And it wouldn't change. Not now, not ever. If Alex ever wanted to meet her, George and Dream would make sure he could. But right now, hearing their son say he was happy with having two daddies, hearing him put a woman into place, that was clearly disrespecting him and his father, it was a moment of utter pride for Dream. And for George.

“Sounds like a success to me.”

George laughed. “Yeah. It was.”

“Will she sign the papers?” Dream asked, eating his food at last.

George nodded. “Yeah, I think so. I told her the options were stepping down by herself, or going to court, and she had no way of winning. She had not been involved for four years, and there is no way she can prove that she was. Or will be in the future.”

“I’m glad it went well.”

George nodded. “Me too.”

They sat in a comfortable silence as they finished their food. Dream looked at the paint a few times, to check if it needed a second layer, or rather a third one, but it looked so far. It looked rather alright like that and he could probably go home soon.

George put the food container into one of their trash bags, and moved closer to Dream, sitting down by his side.

“You know…” He started, making Dream raise an eyebrow.

“Alex is at Sapnap’s for the night,” he hummed innocently, looking down at his hands to feign bashfulness.

Dream smirked slightly, leaning closer to him. “Yeah?”

“Mhmm… So the apartment is empty… And, you know, it is our last night on my bed.”

“Sounds interesting,” Dream agreed, smiling at him, pretending to not understand what he was hinting at.

George leaned over, gently kissing his lips. “I hoped you’d take me home.”

Dream kissed him back, cupping his cheeks and moving towards him to make it not as uncomfortable for George.

“What do you say?” George grinned against his lips.

Dream did not answer, instead he pulled away and stood up. He offered George his hand and the man grinned widely. Dream pulled him up and out of the door of their new apartment, pulling him towards the car to get home.

They made the most of their last night in George’s apartment. 

They woke up early, (a little sore on Dream’s part), but full of energy. There was nothing that could stop them from moving the last few bits out of George’s apartment into the new one. Their apartment.

They were in the middle of building Quackity’s wardrobe when the doorbell rang, and Sapnap (already having a key) entered without a second warning. Behind him  trailed Quackity, with a wide grin.

“Daddy! Papa! I’m hooooome!”

George poked his head out of Alex’s bedroom and the boy ran over to him immediately. George scooped him up and hugged him close. “Hello my love! How are you?”

“Very good! Uncle Sapnap let me sit in the front!”

George shot his friend a look and Sapnap grumbled softly. “Q, that was our secret.”

“Oh.” The boy said and quickly slapped his hands over his mouth. 

George decided to let it go for now, and Dream joined them, smiling at his best friend. “We're almost done with the basics.”

Sapnap grinned. “Basics?”

“He means all of Q’s room, and the couch in the living room,” George helped and made his friend laugh. 

After Sapnap offered to help, they finished setting up Alex’s bedroom. He helped with some shelves in the living room, but Dream and George’s bedroom stayed the way it was for now. They’d get around to it eventually.

George offered to cook for Sapnap, but he declined, saying he and Karl had their movie night today, even though George knew that was a lie. 

Sapnap did however take George’s son to the side and whispered something to him that made the boy nod and then giggle. Dream thought it was funny how confused George seemed by the display.

George went on to make dinner and Dream took Alex, saying he would show him around his new bedroom. George did not question it, much to Dream’s delight.

Dream and Alex set something up in Alex’s parents’ bedroom. He loved getting his son’s help, Alex was always so eager to be part of whatever Dream and George were up to.

They got called for dinner and emerged from the room, Alex holding Dream’s hand tightly in his own and giggled as he saw George. 

Dream saw more confusion in his boyfriend’s eyes, but he let it slide, in favor of getting the food on the table and into their stomachs.

They ate in comfortable silence and Alex fought against having a bath before sleep and for once, he won, if only because George was not sure where Quack was located, in which box he was hiding. And he did not want to deal with the drama of having to look for Quack or getting Alex upset. 

The boy went to bed without much of a fight, but with a lot of giggles and funny looks sent George’s way, as Dream tugged him in. Dream and George said their goodnights and Alex cuddled into his bed, cuddling his duck plushie.

Dream took George into the bathroom, to have a bath instead. “If Alex won’t have one, at least we could be the first ones, no? It’s bigger than your old one.”

They both fit in the tub, George having his back pressed against Dream’s chest, as he listened to him talk about what else they should get for their apartment.

“You set something up in our bedroom, didn’t you?” George asked bluntly into a moment of silence.

Dream smiled against the back of his head. “Maybe.”

“Is it what I think it is?”

“Maybe,” Dream repeated and just stayed put, enjoying the moment for a bit longer. 

Dream played with George’s hair, smiling into his neck.

“I love you so much.”

George laughed. “I love you, too?”

It was phrased like a question, but it didn’t matter. Dream knew it was the truth. They had to get out eventually and Dream made fun of George’s wrinkly skin. 

George threw a towel at his head in return.

Dream wrapped himself into a towel and walked out of the bathroom before George. He got into the bedroom, and put on a pair of underwear, and a T-Shirt.

On the bed he had one of his hoodies, and he smiled, as he sat in the centre of the bed.

George walked in, and looked around. Nothing was different. There were no rose petals, no candles, there was no music playing. George smiled at him. “What exactly did you and Q do in here?”

Dream beamed at him and pointed at the Hoodie. “He picked out which hoodie of mine you liked best.”

It was the black smiley hoodie Dream owned. It was big on George, way too big. He eyed it curiously and put it on, slipping on a pair of underwear as well. Dream watched him, smiling as the hoodie covered him almost to the middle of his thighs.

“Come here,” he whispered and waved him over. George moved onto the bed, until he sat in front of him.

Dream pulled out a box from under his pillow. It was dark blue, and George, who had known it was coming, still felt his breath hitch.

“Alex chose the hoodie. And the ring,” Dream smiled at him, holding the box in one hand, reaching for George’s hand with the other. 

He was trembling slightly, even though he technically already knew the answer.

“I didn’t give a grand speech last time. But so much has happened since then,” he started, and George looked him into his eyes, smiling more and more.

“You stood up to your ex. We got to spend Christmas together. Alex turned four. My new year’s resolution was making you mine. And I am doing that right now, hopefully.” 

George smiled at him, cupping his cheek with the free hand he still had.

“Clay…”

“George. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You’re my blue. My family. And my home. And I want to do everything in my power to make you and Alex the happiest people on this earth. We fight sometimes… But I don’t want to picture myself without you. I want to be able to yell into the world, that you’re mine. I want everyone who matters to know that I am yours. I love you. I love you so much. From the freckles on your cheek, to your brown eyes and your absolutely beautiful smile. You look so fantastic in my clothes, and I cannot wait to wake up every day next to you. I love how you can’t cook, but still try your best. I love to see what a great father you are to Alex, and cannot wait to have more little ones to be raised with you by my side. You are my everything.”

George’s smile was impossibly wide and Dream had troubles trying not to kiss him right now.

“You are my home, George. Please let me stay.”

George kissed him in response, before Dream could even show the ring he and Alex had chosen for him. George climbed into his lap and held onto his face, like he did when he first told him he loved him, how he did so many times after that. George kissed him deeply and with every feeling he was unable to express. And Dream melted under his guidance.

He did pull away though, to show the ring to George. A simple silver ring, with a green, blue and yellow stone inbetted. George teared up.

“You sap…”

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes. Of course.” George smiled and kissed him again, not letting him pull away this time.

Dream followed his lead, but fumbled with the ring in the box, trying to slip it onto George’s finger, without pulling away.
George pushed Dream down against the mattress and hovered over him, leaning away slightly to reconnect his mouth with his neck. But a soft knocking interrupted them. Quackity entered the room, holding his duckie and looked down.

“Can I sleep with you tonight..?” He asked and George was quick to get off Dream and scoop his son into his arms. The moment wasn't broken, it simply got better.

“Of course baby.” George hummed and kissed his cheek. Dream smiled and settled onto his side of the bed, so that Alex could lay between them. 

It was perfect. They tugged the blanket over them and George rested the hand with the ring on Quackity’s stomach. Dream admired the view, smiling to himself. Home. Home. Home.